This week’s Weekly Record Rundown of new and upcoming releases spotlights some of the best musicians in Finland in Markus Holkko, Jimi Tenor and the Cold Diamond & Mink crew, a highly anticipated International Anthem release from SML (Small Medium Large), and the latest offering from South African piano great Nduduzo Makhathini.

Next week we will dive in and cover some of incredible reissues that have recently been coming out. More to come soon!

BEATCAFFEINE’S RECORD OF THE WEEK

Markus Holkko — ‘Eye of the Universe’
(Jazzaggression)

Finnish saxophonist and composer Markus Holkko has released a brilliant new album on Jazzaggression, titled Eye of The Universe. Recorded at Studio Pelto in Finland, this 8-track recording covers a lot of ground musically, touching upon spiritual, modal and Latin jazz while incorporating psychedelic grooves and electric cosmic textures. Joining Holkko, the session includes Juuso Rinta on double bass, Samuli Rautianen on electric piano and analog synths, Teemu Mustonen on drums/ percussion, and contributions from Teemu Åkerblom, who plays both electric guitar effects and sitar. Eye of The Universe has all of the ingredients to become one of those timeless records that continues to get even better in time.

BUY RECORD

MORE BEATCAFFEINE NEW MUSIC RECOMMENDATIONS

Jimi Tenor, Cold Diamond & Mink — ‘Is There Love in Outer Space?’
(Timmion Records)

Legendary Finnish multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Jimi Tenor teams up with Timmion Records’ superb studio band Cold Diamond & Mint on a remarkable cosmic full-length, titled Is There Love in Outer Space?. As the title suggests, this 6-track recording fuses spacey hypnotic grooves with soulful instrumentation that will have the listener spinning in orbit from one planet to the next.
Space is definitely the place!

BUY RECORD

SML — ‘Small Medium Large’
(International Anthem)

SML is made up of some of today’s most forward-thinking improvisors, including bassist Anna Butterss, synthesist Jeremiah Chiu, saxophonist Josh Johnson, percussionist Booker Stardrum, and guitarist Gregory Uhlmann. Recorded over two separate two-night stands at the beloved (but unfortunately now closed) Highland Park, Los Angeles venue ETA, this superb 13-track recording was engineered and recorded in stereo direct to Nagra by Bryce Gonzales and compiled, arranged, and edited with additional production, recording, and studio composition by SML across their various home studios. Featuring a heavy-dose of circulatory grooves and experimental textural anomalies, this album captures a group of highly talented boundary-pushing artists at their creative height.

BUY RECORD

Nduduzo Makhathini — ‘uNomkhubulwane’
(Blue Note Records)

For more than a decade, pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini has established himself as one of South Africa’s greatest artists. He returns with his highly-anticipated third album for Blue Note Records, which is a 3-movement 13-track suite paying homage to the Zulu Goddess uNomkhubulwane. This beautiful full-length features Makhathini’s stellar trio with bassist Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere and drummer Francisco Mela. This is one of those recordings that will transport you mentally to a spiritually peaceful state.

BUY RECORD

• Jazz
• Spiritual Jazz